Pencil sharpener with a music box



Nov. 12, 1968 SANZO KOBAYASHI PENCIL SHARPENER WITH A MUSIC BOX Filed Nov. 15, 1966 United States Patent 3,410,169 PENCIL SHARPENER WITH A MUSIC BOX Sanzo Kobayash'i, 235 Ryusenji-machi, Daito-ku, Tokyo, Japan Filed Nov. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 594,568 3 Claims. (Cl. 8495) This invention relates generally to pencil sharpeners and music boxes and more particularly to a combination pencil sharpener and music box.

Music boxes have been combined with various devices, for example with toy telephones and even ash trays.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel pencil sharpener with a music box thereon.

Another object is to provide a musical pencil sharpener that will provide enjoyable music during the interval in which a pencil is sharpened.

A feature of the pencil sharpener and music box combination in accordance with the invention is the provision of mechanism for determining the playing time interval of the music box to correspond with the overall sharpening time or time that it takes to sharpen a pencil in the sharpener.

Other features and advantages of the pencil sharpener and musix box combination in accordance with the present invention will be better understood as described in the following specification and appended claims in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view partly in section having a cutaway for viewing the music box in accordance with the invention; and

F IG. 2 is a fragmentary section view.

As can be seen in the drawing a pencil sharpener 10 is provided with a sharpener portion 11 and a shaving container portion or box 13. The sharpener is provided with a conventional chuck or pencil holder 15 generally in the position illustrated in solid lines and operable to an outwardly displaced position 15' illustrated in broken lines when the chuck is removed away from the body portion 11 for initiating sharpening of a pencil 16. The chuck is provided wtih operators 17 only one of which is shown, for opening and closing the chuck for gripping the pencil 16 therein. The chuck is suspended and guided on guides 18, 19 and 20 which are axially guided and insertable into the sharpener portion 11. The apparatus comprises a conventional handle 21 operable for sharpening the pencil. Within the shaving box 13 is provided a compartment 23 housing a music box which will play during the interval corresponding to the time it takes to sharpen a pencil and under control of the pencil sharpener.

The music box comprises a spring motor 25 driving a drum 26 through a gear train of which two gears 27, 28 are illustrated. The drum 26 is provided with a plurality of peripherally disposed pins 30 positioned on the periphery of the drum at various angular positions in registry with tines 31 of a musical element 32. As the drum 26 is rotated the tines are vibrated to make musical sound vibrations, corresponding to a selected musical piece, which emanate outwardly of the pencil sharpener through apertures or openings 35 on the face or front 36 of the pencil sharpener.

The spring motor is Wound 'by a key 38 in a conventional manner. The starting and stopping of the motor is controlled by the pencil sharpener so that the playing interval corresponds to the time it takes to sharpen a pencil. Thus, the apparatus is provided with timing mechanism comprising an operator 40 consisting of a rod portion 41 movable axially and engageable with the chuck 15. With the pencil holder or chuck 15 in the position illustrated in solid lines, for example when it is not in use, the bar 41 is moved by the chuck toward the right ice as illustrated in FIG. 1 compressing a spring 43. It can be seen that when the pencil holder 15 is moved to its outward position 15' the spring will bias the operator 40 in a direction toward the pencil holder. The operator comprises an arm 46 fixed to the rod 41 and extending down- Wardly therefrom into the compartment 23. The arm 46 has a bent portion 46a that is positioned automatically in the path of or away from the path of a rotary driven member 48 rotated by the spring motor 25 through gear mechanism comprising gears 50-54, inclusive.

When the pencil sharpener is not in use the pencil holder is in the position illustrated in solid lines and the rod 40 is in a position compressing the spring 43 with the bent portion 46a in the path of the rotary member 48, as shown in solid lines, so that the rotary member is unable to rotate and therefore the music box is rendered inoperative. When the chuck or pencil holder 15 is moved outwardly, in readiness for sharpening a pencil, the spring 43 will automatically bias the operator 40 and its arm 46 toward the left in the position 46' illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 1 and the arm portion 46a is then out of registry with the rotary member 48 and the music box will play. As the chuck returns toward its rest position, shown in solid lines, it will eventually engage the rod 41 and move it toward the right. Once the chuck is returned to its usual position, in solid lines, the chuck will be bearing against the operator rod portion 41 and the spring will be in a fully compressed state in the position shown in FIG. 1 and the arm 46 operated into a position for precluding rotary motion of the member 48 and the music box will be secured or stopped. Thus, it can be seen that the time interval for sharpening a pencil will correspond with the playing interval which is under control of the pencil sharpener.

While a preferred embodiment of the pencil sharpener and music box combination has been shown and described it will be understood that many modifications and changes can be made Within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pencil sharpener having a container portion for receiving pencil shavings therein, means defining a compartment in said container portion, a music box in said compartment, and means under control of said pencil sharpener to automatically start and stop sai-d music box to cause it to play only during an interval of time substantially corresponding with a time interval during which a pencil is being sharpened in said pencil sharpener.

2. A pencil sharpener according to claim 1, having a pencil holder operable to two operative positions, said means to start and stop and music box comprising an operator actuated under control of said pencil holder to a first operative position in which it renders said music box inefi ective and a second operative position in which said operator renders said music box effective and means cooperative with said pencil holder to move said operator to said first and second operative positions in dependence upon operation of said pencil holder to said two operative positions,

3. A pencil sharpener according to claim 2, comprising a rotary driven member, said operator comprising a member operable to said first and second operative positions in which it stops said rotary driven member from rotating thereby rendering said music box ineffective and releasing said rotary driven member to render said music box effective.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,501,822 3/1950 Kuyler 84-95 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner. J. F. GONZALES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PENCIL SHARPENER HAVING A CONTAINER PORTION FOR RECEIVING PENCIL SHAVINGS THEREIN, MEANS DEFINING A COMPARTMENT IN SAID CONTAINER PORTION, A MUSIC BOX IN SAID COMPARTMENT, AND MEANS UNDER CONTROL OF SAID PENCIL SHAPENER TO AUTOMATICALLY START AND STOP SAID MUSIC BOX TO CAUSE IT TO PLAY ONLY DURING AN INTERVAL OF TIME SUBSTANTIALLY CORRESPONDING WITH A TIME INTERVAL DURING WHICH A PENCIL IS BEING SHARPENED IN SAID PENCIL SHARPENER. 